International Rules: The Australian Football League (AFL) apologised unconditionally yesterday as the fallout from Brendan Fevola's "physical confrontation" with a staff member of Galway's Imperial hotel threatened to overshadow the build-up to next Sunday's second Test in Croke Park.
The incident took place early Monday morning after the Australian players and officials spent a day at the Galway races.
Fevola has not been fined, but an internal disciplinary committee - comprising AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, operations manager Adrian Anderson, players' association chief Brendan Gale, coach Kevin Sheedy and captain Dustin Fletcher - decided to send the Carlton Blues forward home.
Fevola was placed on a train to Dublin on Monday, along with the travelling AFL "security expert", and then on a flight to Australia.
According to reports in the Australian media, the Garda investigation into the complaint is complete and no charges are planned.
But the situation is the worst nightmare for the AFL after their attempts to promote the tour as a serious venture following heavy criticism two years ago, when the series was seen as a junket.
"The AFL has offered a full, unconditional apology to the Galway police and the staff of the nightclub and, on behalf of the AFL, we are extremely embarrassed and disappointed that one of our players has been involved in an incident of this nature while representing the competition on an international stage," said Demetriou.
"We felt we had to act in the strongest possible terms to send a clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated."
Fevola was excluded from the 22 for last Saturday's International Rules first Test in Pearse Stadium, which Ireland won 48-40, and was only a late call-up to the 25-man squad following Nick Riewoldt's withdrawal through injury.
There was little defence for the 25-year-old, given the incident, when he is believed to have put a barman in a headlock, is believed to have been captured on CCTV.
Speaking to The Age newspaper, Fevola said: "Obviously, I've done the wrong thing by getting him in a headlock. It was pretty stupid. And I'm just glad I didn't hit him. I would have been in more trouble if I hit him. A lot more trouble. It was just a headlock. If I wanted to hit him, I would have hit him. But I didn't. I just had him in a headlock."
The Australians left Galway yesterday to spend a night in Dromoland Castle, Co Clare, but they travel to Dublin this evening to begin their final preparations for Sunday's expected sell-out at Croke Park.
The GAA have confirmed only a small number of terrace tickets remain.
Irish manager Seán Boylan has reported a fully fit squad ahead of the weekend, with six players coming back into the reckoning ahead of Friday's team announcement.
The three Ireland squad players excluded from last Saturday - Karl Lacey, Shane Ryan and Alan Quirke - along with three stand-by players - Darragh Ó Sé, Des Dolan and Stephen O'Neill - can all be considered for inclusion.
Ireland captain Kieran McGeeney played the full match for his club Na Fianna in Monday's Dublin club football semi-final defeat to St Vincent's - that result means Boylan has the full use of the Armagh defender this week.
The squad will reconvene in Dunboyne tomorrow, where they will stay until Sunday, but they will have separate training sessions at Croke Park and Westmanstown in north Dublin.
